Vascular biology

The formation of new blood vessels, angiogenesis, is an important and strictly controlled process that under normal circumstances takes place during embryonic development, in wound healing and in the female menstruation cycle. However, in several diseases, for instance cancer, there is an exaggerated angiogenesis that leads to a disorganized and dysfunctional vasculature that may propagate the disease.

In the research programme Vascular Biology we study how angiogenesis is regulated, both during embryo development, in adults and in diseases, mainly cancer. We are particularly interested in how growth factors and other regulating proteins stimulate or inhibit angiogenesis during development, and how vessel permeability to molecules and cells is regulated in the CNS and in peripheral organs. We also study the mechanisms underlying the formation of functional lymphatic vessels and the development of fibrosis.